The Legion of Mary 1921 - 2021

My family have a history with the Legion of Mary. Both my parents were members of the Legion in the 1950’s and 60’s before they married. My mother’s sisters were Legionaries too as well as many of my father’s cousins. One of the cousins, Brendan Shortall was a Legion of Mary Envoy to East Africa and his picture hangs in the Legion of Mary Headquarters, De Montfort House on Morning Star Avenue in Dublin’s North Inner City.

As a boy, I joined the Legion of Mary in the Parish where we lived in 1980 and ’81. We were part of a Junior Praesidium attached to Benedicta House on the South Circular Road. We met on Tuesday evenings and part of the routine was all Legionaries would be allocated Legion work, an apostolate where we would do some works of charity or service to the church. The older members maybe would visit homes, or work supporting poorer people etc.  There were others who we heard would undertake a protracted trip on what was called PPC (Peregrenatio Pro Christo) where a group of Legion of Mary members would go to a parish for example in the U.K. and promote the Legion at the invitation of the parish priest. I remember we younger members stood at the ‘Book Barrow’ selling Catholic Truth Society literature. Others would be involved in distributing religious goods like Rosary Beads, Medals, and holy pictures.

There were on occasion, Legion events like reunions and social evenings where Legionaries would meet from other places. It would always begin with the Rosary and conclude with the Legion prayers. Prayer was and is the bedrock of all of the meetings and social occasions, big and small.

I believe this is what Frank Duff and the other members of the very early association had in their hearts when they met for the first time on this day in 1921. The first meeting of the ‘Association of Our Lady of Mercy’ took place 100 years ago in Myra House on St. Francis Street in Dublin’s south inner city. The first work proposed by the group was to make a visitation of the hospital for the poor known as the Dublin Union. There were around four thousand residents. The Nuns were supportive to the members in their making this visitation for charitable purposes.

Frank Duff had a devotion to St. Louis-Marie De Montfort (1673- 1716) who was a priest and preacher who in his time impressed Pope Clement XI. He was canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Rosary. On of his most notable works was his book on Our Lady called ‘True Devotion to Mary.’ The Legion of Mary handbook, well known to all Legionaries and used at each meeting is influenced by the writings of De Montfort.

From its humble beginnings, this Association of our Lady of Mercy developed to become the Legion of Mary and like a pebble being dropped into a pool, the ripples spread from Francis Street in Dublin to its base off North Brunswick Street, all around Ireland, and across the world. For me, the Legion emphasises the vocation of the laity by virtue of their baptism. From Day one, September 7^th, 1921, Frank Duff and the men and women of the fledgling Legion took the initiative to work for the spread of the gospel, under the banner of Mary, from their own lived lives, in their families, among their fellow worker and neighbours. Zealous Legionaries, lay women and men, journeyed to far-flung places to witness to the mission of the Legion working on the ground with others to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The Legion is like an army – an army of gospel people, equipped with zeal for the message of Jesus Christ under the protection of Mary.

Legion of Mary members chosen as envoys like Tullamore native, Alphonsus Lambe went to South America. It is hoped that Alfie will be beatified one day. Well known envoy, Venerable Edel Quinn who hailed from Kanturk, Co. Cork, and went as Envoy to Nairobi. Edel died out there as a relatively young woman out there is someone else who the Legion hopes will be raised to the altars of the Church. Frank Duff’s cause for Beatification is also open. There are many heroic Legionaries, lay men and women across the world, who did great work where they were at, and who many would honour as models of zeal and charity.  For example, I have spoken to many people who remember Tom Doyle, a Legionary who worked with the homeless men of the Morning Star Hostel. Tom was a great example of kindness, charity, and patience with all who stayed in the hostel.

I learned about these men and women when I was in the Legion and these people are the ones the many members across the world look up to. Sanctity should be the art of the possible and when we look at the lives of lay women and men who from their own families and homes spend themselves to live the gospel of Jesus by their example, it is a labour of love. It is a mission that is worth highlighting in the 21^st century.

May the Legion of Mary continue to be missionaries of the gospel of Jesus Christ under the mantle of Mary in our country and our world for the next 100 years and beyond.

“Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?”